TRUTH, PATHOLOGY, AND PUBLIC. 145 
single emotion that has not got a warping power.’ In 
your practice you will make blunders, everybody 
does ; and you will try to conceal them, everybody 
does ; it will often be well for your patient that you 
should. You will learn much which your patients 
will think that they have a right to know, but which 
it would be wrong to tell them; and patients’ 
friends will ask distressing questions which it may 
be your duty not to answer. They will ask you 
questions, also, especially in the early days of your 
practice, which you may find eminently inconvenient 
to yourselves to answer, even when you know full 
well that you are thoroughly able to do your duty. 
In all these cases, and in many more which might 
be mentioned, you will readily see how emotion of 
one sort or other may interfere with accuracy of 
statement ; and with regard to them all, I may 
further say, happy is the man who can bring tact to 
his rescue or even finesse in aid of truth. 
1 It is indeed true that all emotion has a warping power; yet I can- 
not republish this sentence without noting that I have fallen into a 
specious error in saying that emotion ought not to enter into scientific 
work, The emotions should all be strictly disciplined, especially those 
founded on personal pique, which was the emotion most present to my 
mind, Even pique has warmed men up to work, though not of the 
best sort. As for the man who brings little enthusiasm into his work, 
he will take little credit out of it, either in the way of discovery or of 
influencing other minds. Yet enthusiasm continually warps the judg- 
ment, and we must curb our enthusiasm for our own views of truth 
by loyal adhesion to the spirit of candour and caution by which we 
can alone hope to throw aside the prejudices to which we are liable. 
K 
